Steven Gerrard has resigned as manager of Aston Villa in the Premier League after less than a year in command.
Gerrard’s dismissal was revealed immediately following Villa’s 3-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage, the club’s sixth defeat in just 11 Premier League outings.
A statement released after the match read:
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
“Aston Villa Football Club can confirm that head coach Steven Gerrard has left the club with immediate effect.
“We would like to thank Steven for his hard work and commitment and wish him well for the future.”
Villa has two wins in 11 league games and is just one point above the relegation zone.
Steven Gerrard’s sacking as manager of the club, Aston Villa comes after only 11 months in charge.
Villa revealed on Friday that Gary McAllister, Neil Critchley, Tom Culshaw, Jordan Milsom, and Scott Mason had also departed the club following Gerrard’s dismissal.
So as it stands, Aaron Danks, the club’s first-team coach, will lead the team against Brentford at Villa Park on Sunday.
Stephen Gerrard reacting to the news of his sacking said:
“I’ve been sending messages to the fans for the last few weeks because I certainly share their frustration and their pain,” said Gerrard in his post-match press conference.
“I’m someone who is honest. I know that they’re not enjoying it at the moment – I’m certainly not – so we’ll see what happens moving forward. But you know and I know I’m in a very difficult position right now.
“The performance was miles away from what I want, expect and stand for. I understand the fans’ frustration and it was so far from how we looked at the weekend. We’re in this situation, I’m in it to face the tough questions because the reality is it’s not good enough for the club.
“Those decisions are out of my control. I have been around the game a long time, I understand the situation and won’t sugar-coat the situation or give anyone false lines. I want to be as honest as I can.
“We’ll see what happens moving forwards. But football is in my DNA and quitting is certainly not, so we’ll see what happens moving forwards.”
Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino and ex-Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel have both been connected with the position, but whether either might be persuaded to come to Villa Park remains to be seen.
